Caledonia, Ontario

Caledonia is one of several communities in the single-tier regional municipality of Haldimand County. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula in southern Ontario, Canada, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. cite web
url = http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Aboriginal/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CSD&View=1a&Table=1&StartRec=245&Sort=2&B1=Counts01&B2=Total
title = Aboriginal Identity Population, 2001 Counts, for Canada and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) With an Aboriginal Identity Population of 250-plus - 20% Sample Data
accessdate = 2006-09-09
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archivedate =] The current mayor of Haldimand County (there is no formal level of government at the town level) is Marie Trainer; Caledonia is within Ward 3 of Haldimand County. The Councillor elected for Ward 3 is Craig Grice. As of September 2006, there are approximately 4,000 households in the town of Caledonia.cite web
url = http://www.canadapost.ca/cpc2/addrm/hh/current/details/tdONuN3W-e.asp#N3W
title = Canada Post. Householder Counts and Maps. Valid for mailings from August 18 to September 14, 2006. Summary for Caledonia
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Caledonia is located at the intersection of Highway 6 and Regional Road 54 (within the town, these streets are called Argyle Street and Caithness Street respectively) on the Grand River. On Highway 6, the town is 10 km south of Hamilton and 10 km north of Hagersville. On Regional Road 54, the town is 15 km east of Brantford, Ontario and 10 km west of Cayuga, Ontario.

It has a long and ancient Indigenous People's history. This history does not include the Six Nations until 1790s when the British granted them the land of the local mississiauga Indians.

Land dispute

In November 2005, protestors from Six Nations of the Grand River and other First Nations peoples occupied a tract of land just south of the town of Caledonia, which was being developed. Six Nations took a land claim dispute to court in 1995, charging both the Federal government and the Province of Ontario of 14 different counts of transgression. The federal and provincial governments dispute these claims, but it is a long-standing issue, some of which goes back to pre-Confederation times. The land in dispute was leased, in the eyes of the Six Nations, but in the eyes of the federal and provincial governments, it was sold. The dispute flared when Henco Industries, which had bought the Douglas Creek Estates land in 1992, began building on the site-- making the ownership issue more urgent than it was before. There is much conflicting opinion between Caledonian residents as well as interested parties from other areas of the country. Six Nations have had the support of Mohawk tribes, Mohawk Warriors, and other natives, as well as non-native parties such as the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Hells Angels, and the United Steelworkers. The government of Ontario, after many talks with the federal government and Six Nations, decided to buy the land from Henco Industries, adding on compensation for time and money already lost. Residents against the occupation were angered that the sum was undisclosed, and Six Nations was angry with the damage done to the land by starting to build on it. Caledonians against the protest view the dispute as a law and order issue. The occupation include an illegal road block that frustrated Caledonian residents, and for a time, the Hydro station near the reclamation site was also out for up to four days-- no one would admit to having sabotaged it, and there were some problems getting in to fix it as technicians were not allowed through the blockade. There were also CN and VIA rail blockages due to fire and other obstructions caused by the native protestors. Some Caledonians see these acts as criminal, regardless of the issues. Six Nations say that they are ignored in the absence of such actions. [from gov.on.ca, cbc.ca, and The Divided Ground, by Alan Taylor] . There was a media blackout until the Ontario Provincial Police made an attempt at raiding the land which had become an illegal protest in the eyes of Justice Marshall of the Ontario Provincial Court at Cayuga. The court injunction to leave the construction site was issued at the request of Henco Industries. OPP held a relatively neutral post after the raid failed to permanently remove native protesters from the site. Their main initiative was to keep the peace between native and anti-native protesters. Later, the courts would demand to know why the court injunction was not enforced. Some may point to other famous OPP-native conflicts as good cause to keep a distance.For a time, former (Liberal) Ontario Premier David Peterson was appointed as an intermediary in the ongoing protests. Six Nations demanded to see a representative of Aboriginal Affairs, such as Jim Prentice. Talks between federal and provincial government officials and Six Nations representatives are ongoing, but slow.

Annual activities

*Caledonia Fair
*Canada Day Festival and Parade (July 1) (Includes Stephen Young Duck Race)
*Victoria Day Fireworks
*Light Up Night
*"Santa Claus Parade"
*Yard Sale Day (First Saturday of June)(Started in 1994)
*Flatbush annual parade

Attractions

*Haldimand House
*Grand River Bridge
*Oasis
*The Grand Trunk Railway Station
*Caledonia Old Town Hall (Edinburgh Square)
* [http://www.caledoniamill.wetpaint.com Old Mill]
*War Memorial
*Grand River Dam
*McKinnon Park
*Caledonia Toll House

ports

*Caledonia Double Arena (NEW)
*Baseball Diamonds (2 non-school related)
*Soccer Fields
*Caledonia Studio of Dance CSOD
*Grand River Gymmies
*Hockey Team : Caledonia Corvairs
*Minor Hockey (Boys) -- Caledonia & District Minor Hockey Association (Caledonia Thunder)
*Minor Hockey (Girls) -- Haldimand Girls Hockey League (Haldimand River Cats)
*Sundrim Golf Course
*Lacrosse
*Caledonia Skatepark

chools

*McKinnon Park Secondary School - Blue Devils
*Caledonia Centennial Public School- Cougars
* [http://www.notredamecaledonia.ca Notre Dame Catholic School] -Knights
*River Heights- River Hawks
*St. Patrick's Catholic School-Spirits

Media

*" [http://www.sachem.ca Grand River Sachem] "
*"The Regional News This Week"
*CKJN-FM

Famous people

*James Little Built the Old Mill 1846
*Tom Longboat competed in his first race here on Victoria Day, 1905, finishing second.
* Ian Thompson Historian and Volunteer at the Caledonia Old Mill
* Barbara Martindale Historian and Extraordinary volunteer
* Tracy Wharmby - graphic designer at The Regional News

ervice clubs

* [http://www.caledonialions.on.ca Lions Club Of Caledonia]
* [http://www.juniormillcorporation.wetpaint.com Caledonia Junior Mill Committee] 765 2718
* [http://www.caledonia.rotarydistrict7090.org Caledonia Rotary Club]
* Caledonia Legion 765 2642
* [http://www.kincanada.ca Caledonia Kinsmen Club] 765 4664
* Caledonia Horticultural Society
* [http://www.caledonia-ontario.com Caledonia Regional Chamber Of Commerce] 765 0377
* Golden Horseshoe Antique Society 765 4891
* Haldimand 4H Club

References

For a full history of Caledonia, see [http://www.juniormillcorporation.wetpaint.com Caledonia Website]